What Two Greyhounds Taught Me About Dogs and Routine

Every dog I care for gets measured against two greyhounds, even though they've both passed. Duchess and Ruby are the reason Healthy Pooches exists. I want to tell you about them, because what they taught me is what I try to give your dog.

Duchess, and the door at 4pm

Duchess was my first greyhound. She came to me at 3 years old, and she was the best dog I ever had. She had a way of telling me exactly what she wanted. The clearest thing she ever said was that she wanted to go for a walk.

Every day I'd come home and she'd be at the door, waiting for her food and her walk at 4pm. Not 3:30, not 5. Four. She didn't own a watch. She just knew.

On March 8th, 2017, I lost her to cancer. She was only 7. I still think about that door.

Dogs keep better time than we do

Duchess taught me that dogs build their lives around a rhythm. Feed her at the same time, walk her at the same time, and her body learns the schedule. She'll tell you when it's late. A routine gives a dog something to count on, and a dog who knows what's coming tends to be calmer than one who's guessing.

That's useful when you're planning care for your own dog. A sitter, a daycare or a boarding stay goes better when it fits her routine instead of replacing it. Tell me when she eats, when she walks, when she naps and how she likes her evenings. I'd rather work with her clock than fight it.

Ruby, who had opinions about teeth

Two years after Duchess came into my life, I got Ruby, another greyhound. She was 2 years old. She did everything Duchess did, and she added a few ideas of her own.

Ruby even took to letting me know when it was time to brush her teeth. Think about that for a second. A dog reminding her owner to do the thing owners tend to forget. She'd made a habit out of it, and she wasn't going to let me skip it. Dental care is easy to put off, and she wouldn't let me. If you're not sure how to start with your own dog, your vet can show you.

I lost Ruby to cancer on January 30th, 2024. She was 11.

What I took from them

They both loved to be walked so much, it inspired me to have my own dog business. That's the whole origin story, and I don't dress it up. Two quiet greyhounds changed what I wanted to do for work. I was already walking my dog seven days a week, sometimes twice a day, and I realized I enjoyed it more than almost anything else I did. I figured other people's dogs deserved that kind of attention too.

Greyhounds are also a good lesson in balance. They're sprinters who spend a lot of the day asleep, and they're quite happy that way. A tired greyhound after a walk isn't a problem to solve. She's a dog living her day properly. That's the version of a tired pet I'm aiming for: worked, fed, rested and relaxed.

Three small habits worth stealing

• Pick a time for the walk and keep it. Your dog will start waiting at the door.
• Pay attention to what your dog asks for. She's usually clear about it.
• Do the small care jobs, like teeth, on a schedule, so they never pile up.

How it shows up at Healthy Pooches

When your dog stays with me, I pay attention to the same things Duchess and Ruby taught me to notice: the time she gets restless, the way she asks to go out, the spot where she settles down. Daycare is $30 a day, Monday-Friday, 7am-6pm, at my home, with walks and outside time built in. Boarding is $35 per day per dog, also at my home, and I do have my own dogs.

Before any stay we do a meet and greet, and your dog needs to be current on DHPP, Bordetella, Rabies and Lepto, with tags, Heartguard and flea and tick prevention, and be spayed or neutered. Boarding needs a month's notice.

If you'd like your dog cared for by someone who takes routine seriously, call me at 443-406-6694 or ask for a meet and greet. I'd be glad to meet her.